Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 860’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘COSEH 860’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; dark greyed green-colored leaves; long flowering period; single light yellow green-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger×Helleborus sternii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 860’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger×Helleborus sternii, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘COSEH 860’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with unique and attractive plant habit, leaf and flower coloration and resistance to pests.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2005 of an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus niger, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus sternii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 860’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘COSEH 860’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Dark greyed green-colored leaves.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Single light yellow green-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new Helleborus are more uniformly mounded and are more uniformly and freely flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborus niger×Helleborus lividus ‘COSEH 700’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,003. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Helleborus differed from plants of ‘COSEH 700’ in leaf and flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 860’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 860’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Helleborus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger×Helleborus sternii ‘COSEH     860’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Helleborus sternii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two months at 12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at             4° C. to 15° C.         -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright             and uniformly mounding plant habit with flowers held just             above the foliar plane; plant shape is globular; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 37.9 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves             palmately compound with five leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaf length.—About 15.1 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 16.7 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 9.8 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular in outline.         -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Sharply serrate; slightly undulate.         -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148A to             148B. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A             to N189B; venation, close to 144A. Fully developed leaves,             lower surface: Close to 191A; venation, close to 200D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 9.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B to 146C, heavily             dotted with close to 183D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             terminal and axillary cymes; freely and uniform flowering             habit with about 70 flowers and flower buds developing per             terminal inflorescence; flowers facing outwardly to slightly             nodding and slightly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten             months after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             from late winter to early spring in Germany.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 145C; towards the base,             tinged with close to 174B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 21.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 28.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape:             Ovate to elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 145A to 145B; towards the             base, close to 145A. When opening, lower surface: Close to             145B; towards the base, slightly tinged with close to 174B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145C to 145D; towards             the base, close to 145B; with development, color becoming             closer to 144A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 145C;             towards the base, slightly tinged with close to 174B.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About             17.6 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Aspect: About 15° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B to             144C slightly dotted with close to 182B to 182C.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 2.6 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 20° from the             peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 70.             Filament length: About 1.7 cm. Filament color: Close to             157D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 150B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About             five. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.             Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style length: About 8 mm. Style             color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Nectaries             (transformed petals): Quantity per flower: About 15. Length:             About 7 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base:             About 1 mm. Shape: Flattened triangular. Color: Close to             144A; towards the apex, close to N144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Helleborus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind;     plants of the new Helleborus have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Helleborus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 860’ as illustrated and described. 